Normanton to Croydon railway line

In 1867, William Landsborough investigated the Norman River area to select a port site to serve the pastoral stations south of the Gulf of Carpentaria. With him was George Phillips who shortly thereafter surveyed the chosen site of Normanton. Phillips later supervised the construction of the Normanton to Croydon Railway, and retained an interest in the area, serving as Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Carpentaria in the 1890s. However, in November 1885, a major gold strike was reported at Belmore pastoral station, east of Normanton and by the end of 1886, the population of the Croydon field was 2,000, rising to 6,000 in the following year. Transportation was a major problem and access to this field became more important than the link to Cloncurry. It was decided to divert the line to Croydon. starting in May 1888, opening on 7 May 1889. The route for the line was finalised in 1889 and opened to Paterson's, now Blackbull () on 15 December 1890 and to Croydon railway station on 20 July 1891. Since then, the line has functioned largely as a tourist attraction. In 1982, a railmotor was restored and named the "Gulflander", making a weekly trip to Croydon returning the next day with a shorter special on other days. Stops are at Clarina , Glenore , Haydon , East Haydon , Blackbull , and on to Croydon . There is often also a photo stop at the remains of the Golden Gate mine . Not all of the buildings have survived; the station at Croydon being destroyed by a storm in 1969. The tank there was demolished in 1972, that at Haydon in 1980, and the blacksmiths shop and workshops in Normanton were sold and demolished in 1980. A new station building was built in 2005 similar to the original station. While the rest of the isolated Queensland Railways lines were gradually joined in the late 19th and early 20th century, the Normanton to Croydon line remained isolated. The nearest part of the Queensland Rail network is the Etheridge line away at Forsayth. == Description ==

The Normanton to Croydon railway line runs in a roughly south-east direction from Normanton to Croydon, in the Gulf Country of North-west Queensland. The line, carried for most of its length on Phillips patent steel sleepers, runs over level country and crosses a number of streams by low level bridges. It has stations at each end of the line with several stopping places in between. The buildings at Normanton railway station are located at the edge of the town on a very level site which makes the buildings stand out sharply against the skyline. The surviving buildings comprise the station building with its attached carriage shade, the goods shed, water tank, vertical boiler and some relatively modern buildings such as the Officer in Charge's house at the Landsborough Street crossing. The station building is rectangular in plan with offices on either side of a central passage and is constructed of corrugated iron lining a timber frame set on a slab. The pattern formed by the frame and cross braced studs has been used to create a decorative effect. The hipped roof is clad in corrugated iron, as is the roof of the verandah which stretches along the sides and front of the station, where a small gable in the verandah roof marks the entrance. From the platform side of the building arches a huge steel framed carriage shade supported with decorated cast iron columns made by the Toowoomba Foundry that supplied some of the steel sleepers. It extends over three tracks and has a continuous ridge vent. The bow string trusses are exposed at each end of the arcade and a scalloped sheet metal fringe edges the curved roof at each end of the structure. The goods shed faces the station across further lines and is a large building, clad and roofed with corrugated iron. The roof extends to provide awnings to the sides, one of which has been built in. It has an internal loading platform and the outside loading platform carries a Ransomes and Rapier of London crane dating from about 1902. The water tank is located near the site of the engine shed and is a single tier tank on a cast iron stand manufactured by Haslam and Co Ltd, of Derby. The site of the workshops consist of the footings, base walls, slabs and inspection pits. A vertical boiler by A. Overend & Co survives at the southern end of the fitting shop area. There is a modern engine shed which houses the rail motor. Also scattered through the yards are the remains of several locomotives, tenders and section of line and sleepers. The station complex at Blackbull comprises a skillion roofed 1966 shelter shed which, although relatively modern, utilises the timber frame and corrugated iron cladding typical of buildings on this line. An interpretive centre has been established in the early 20th century railway workers' quarters. These are also skillion roofed and are corrugated iron clad with top hinged, steel clad shutters. There is an 1890 McKenzie and Holland elevated standard single tier cast iron water tank on a cast iron stand adjacent to a bore at the trackside. A mid twentieth century house recently moved to the site, modern shade structure and toilet block make up the facilities. Croydon railway station is now a simple building clad in corrugated iron with a low pitched roof which does not resemble the station destroyed in 1969, but appears to have reused some of the materials. A set of Avery scales are against the outside wall at the end of the building and a cylindrical water tank is adjacent. Beyond the tank is an 1887 Saxby and Farmer lever, believed to be rare. The complex also contains also a set of quarters similar in appearance to those at Blackbull with detached kitchen and shower annexes to the rear. Croydon station also retains some original equipment such as a Ransomes and Rapier crane, as at Normanton. This is located beside the line at a short distance from the station building and near the former goods shed, the concrete slab of which survives. A loading ramp constructed of metal sleepers and rails and filled with earth also remains, though in a ruinous condition. The tower section of a windmill made from rails is also in the yards and locomotive parts are scattered about. ==Rolling stock==

Because of the isolated nature of the line, redundant rolling stock tended to be discarded at Normanton station rather than scrapped. • A10 class locomotives 202, 203 and 204. 202 and 204 are on display at Croydon Information centre and 203 is stored in Croydon disassembled. • B12 class locomotive 28. On display at Normanton Station. • B13 class locomotives 161 and 234. On display at Normanton Station. • Panhard-Levassor petrol railmotor RM14. On Display at Ipswich Workshops Museum. • AEC petrol railmotor RM31, Scrapped • AEC petrol railmotor RM32, on display at Normanton Railway Station • AEC petrol railmotor RM60, operational at Normanton • AEC petrol railmotor RM74 converted to diesel, on display at Redlands City Museum, Cleveland, Queensland. • QGR Diesel railmotor RM93, Operational at Normanton • Walkers Diesel Locomotive DL4, Operational at Normanton == Heritage listing ==

Normanton to Croydon Railway Line was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria. '''The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.''' The Normanton to Croydon railway illustrates the way in which the rail system in Queensland developed as a series of isolated lines which connected ports to inland resources. It also demonstrates the short lived importance that goldfields, such as that at Croydon, might have. '''The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.''' The Brisbane to Cairns railway connected all independent railways running from ports inland apart from Normanton and Cooktown, which closed in 1962. The Normanton to Croydon line is therefore the last isolated section of the Queensland Railways to remain in use. It is also the only complete line to have been constructed using the Phillips patented sleeper system, which is still in working order. '''The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Queensland's history.''' Because of its isolation, extensive workshop facilities were provided and locomotives and rolling stock were retained when obsolete. Although some have now been removed, the line retained much of its individuality and can provide information on the way in which such an isolated line was maintained and the technology used. The place is important because of its aesthetic significance. The buildings connected with the railway make skilful use of vernacular materials in a harsh environment The Normanton station in particular is a well executed and interesting example of late nineteenth century railway architecture in Queensland. In a flat and open landscape, its scale, form and materials make the terminus a striking and important component of the townscape of Normanton. The place is important in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period. The railway line itself, with its use of low level submersible track and bridges and Phillips patented steel sleepers, was an important technical innovation designed for Queensland conditions which has lasted in use with a low level of maintenance for over a hundred years, proving its viability in these conditions. '''The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.''' The railway has strong associations with the life and work of George Phillips, who helped to explore and survey the area, served for several years as its Parliamentary representative and designed and supervised the building of the railway. It is also associated with James Gartside who prepared the designs for the Normanton terminus buildings under Phillips' direction. == Engineering heritage ==

The railway line received an Engineering Heritage Marker from Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program. == References ==